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    Aquaponic Equipment - Airlifts. Pade, John.

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    Selbor951
    The document discusses the benefits of using airlifts to move water in aquaponics systems. It explains that airlifts can eliminate the need for a water pump, aerate the water, and reduce costs and energy usage. While airlifts are limited in the height they can lift water, they are well-suited for hobby and backyard systems that only require lifting water a few inches. The document provides details on how airlifts work most efficiently and recommends their use for small lifts in aquaponics.

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    Aquaponic Equipment - Airlifts. Pade, John.

    Uploaded by

    Selbor951
    48 views2 pages
    The document discusses the benefits of using airlifts to move water in aquaponics systems. It explains that airlifts can eliminate the need for a water pump, aerate the water, and reduce costs and energy usage. While airlifts are limited in the height they can lift water, they are well-suited for hobby and backyard systems that only require lifting water a few inches. The document provides details on how airlifts work most efficiently and recommends their use for small lifts in aquaponics.

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    The document discusses the benefits of using airlifts to move water in aquaponics systems. It explains that airlifts can eliminate the need for a water pump, aerate the water, and reduce costs and energy usage. While airlifts are limited in the height they can lift water, they are well-suited for hobby and backyard systems that only require lifting water a few inches. The document provides details on how airlifts work most efficiently and recommends their use for small lifts in aquaponics.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    48 views2 pages

    Aquaponic Equipment - Airlifts. Pade, John.

    Uploaded by

    Selbor951
    The document discusses the benefits of using airlifts to move water in aquaponics systems. It explains that airlifts can eliminate the need for a water pump, aerate the water, and reduce costs and energy usage. While airlifts are limited in the height they can lift water, they are well-suited for hobby and backyard systems that only require lifting water a few inches. The document provides details on how airlifts work most efficiently and recommends their use for small lifts in aquaponics.

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    You are on page 1of 2

    24

    Issue # 49 Aquaponics Journal www.aquaponicsjournal.com 2nd Quarter, 2008


    Airlifts are a great way to move water and I think
    they are underutilized in aquaponics. By using air
    to move the water, you eliminate the water pump
    and aerate the water all in one step. This reduces
    initial cost and energy input.

    Air lifts are not generally used for large commer-
    cial systems and are limited in the height that they
    can lift. When trying to lift water to a higher
    level, a water pump is simpler and more efficient
    than an airlift.

    Airlifts lose efficiency (pump less water) the
    higher you lift the water compared to your total
    water depth at the airlift. They work best when
    you only lift water a small percentage higher than
    your total water depth. The deeper the water
    depth compared to the lift, the better.

    However, in most hobby and backyard systems
    you only need to move the water a few inches ver-
    tically so, in this case, an airlift is the best method.

    Airlifts are most efficient when moving water from
    one place to another within the water column.
    They become less efficient as the water is lifted
    higher above the surface. In a raft or media filled
    bed system, an airlift effectively and efficiently
    moves the water form the fish tank to a slightly
    evaluated grow bed. The water then gravity feeds
    back to the fish tank.

    Water is heavy when it is in the air, but weighs no
    more than the water around it when it is in the
    water. A water-
    moving airlift
    will move water
    using very little
    energy. It just
    needs energy to
    accelerate and
    overcome fric-
    tion.

    The more air
    that is injected
    and the deeper it goes, the more power it provides.
    An unconfined airlift doesn't even need a pipe. An
    air diffuser moves a lot of water within its mass of
    bubbles.
    However, raising water only slightly above the
    surface can be done easily and economically with
    compressed air and an airlift pipe.

    Airlifts work by displacing water in the pipe with
    air, making the total weight within the pipe less
    than the weight outside the pipe. Since water
    seeks its own level by virtue of its weight and its
    fluid nature, it will get pushed up an airlift pipe
    because the weight is less there (lower pressure).
    The direction of water flow will always be from
    high pressure to low pressure.

    Air lifts work best with large bubbles of air rising
    because they displace the most amount of water.
    Therefore, you should not use air diffusers in an
    air lift because they break the air into tiny bub-
    bles.
    Aquaponic Equipment

    -Airlifts -


    John S. Pade explains the benefits of using airlifts
    to move water in aquaponics.
    Close up of an airlift
    copyright 2008, Nelson and Pade, Inc., all rights reserved
    25
    Issue # 49 Aquaponics Journal www.aquaponicsjournal.com 2nd Quarter, 2008
    Air lifts work best in small diameter pipes,
    for instance, under 3 inches. If more water
    is needed, use multiples of small diameter
    pipes. Also keep in mind that a sweep
    works better than an elbow.

    If you are moving water at a low head pres-
    sure (the height difference between where
    the water starts and where it ends up), air-
    lifts can pump a tremendous amount of
    water. Four and a half cubic feet of air per
    minute will pump 175 gallons of water per
    minute when its only lifting that water six
    inches. While pumping your water, the
    airlift takes the low-oxygen incoming water and increases the oxygen levels toward optimum.

    If you are planning your system, I recommend looking into an airlift if you only need to lift the water a
    small amount. Often, The same airpump will supply air to the airlift, diffusers in the fish tank and an air
    distribution grid in the grow bed (raft or media filled bed). The increased oxygen levels that you will have
    as a result of using air to move water will be beneficial for your fish, plants and bacteria and your system
    will be healthier overall.

    About the Author: John Pade is a consultant in the aquaponics industry and co-publisher of the
    Aquaponics Journal. He can be reached by email at pade@aquaponcis.com
    Air distribution
    tube
    Air flow valve
    Air introduction
    points
    Above and right: Photos demonstrating an
    airlift used in a small raft system.
    Water rises as it is
    displaced by air
    Raft tanks
    Filter Tanks Air
    Fish
    Tank
    Water and air
    bubble into the
    fish tank.
    Air Pump
    Air lift

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